BRAD

MIZZOU

Tilmon's 3-point play rallies No. 14 Missouri past Bradley

AP
Dec 22, 2020

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) Jeremiah Tilmon's three-point play with a second left lifted No. 14 Missouri Tigers over Bradley Braves 54-53 on Tuesday night.

Down eight with under four minutes to go, Missouri (6-0) closed on a 6-0 run in the final 1:33 to spoil Bradley's upset bid in dramatic fashion.

On the Tigers' final possession, Xavier Pinson found Tilmon in the post on the left block. With time ticking down, Tilmon power-dribbled to the basket and forced a foul from Elijah Childs, finishing through the contact and earning a trip to the free throw line with a chance to win the game.

Tilmon sank the foul shot, and Mitchell Smith swatted away two inbounds passes by the Braves (6-3) to clinch it.

''They're a team that grinds you,'' Missouri coach Cuonzo Martin said about Bradley, the two-time defending Missouri Valley Conference Tournament champion. ''They're going to grind it out, so we just had to settle in and play sound defense without fouling. And we did enough to win the basketball game.''

The decisive bucket capped a strong second half for Tilmon. The big man from East St. Louis, Illinois, finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds after having just one point and three rebounds at halftime.

''I wasn't playing as hard as I was supposed to be playing,'' Tilmon said. ''That was up on me to just step up and just grind harder and just play harder so we can get the dub.''

Pinson paced the Tigers with 15 points.

Missouri led 21-19 at the break after the teams shot a combined 15 for 70 (21%) in a sluggish first half, including 2 for 24 from 3-point range. Pinson was responsible for both makes.

Bradley was much better in the second half, going 15 for 27 from the field. Childs converted a three-point play and Ville Tahvanainen followed with a 3 to give the Braves a 50-42 lead with 3:44 to go. Tahvanainen's deep ball was one of just two the Braves hit all night.

Missouri fought back, cutting the margin to two with 48.4 seconds left on two free throws by Mark Smith. After a defensive stop, the Tigers ran some clock before Mark Smith missed a contested 3-pointer. Bradley's Jayson Kent missed the front end of a 1-and-1 after being fouled by Javon Pickett, setting up Tilmon's game-winning play.

''I was just telling myself to calm down,'' Tilmon said of his go-ahead free throw. ''I was still a little hyped from making the basket. ... I was just thinking, `Routine, routine, routine.' That's what (assistant) coach (Chris) Hollender says to me every time I shoot the ball.''

Childs had 13 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks for Bradley. Kent scored 11 off the bench.

BIG PICTURE

Bradley: The Braves were seconds away from breaking a 20-game losing streak against ranked teams that dates to a win over No. 18 Northern Iowa in 2010 - along with a skid against top-15 nonconference foes on the road that stretches to 1956. It was the second time this season Bradley came up just short against an opponent that is currently undefeated and in the Top 25. The Braves lost 51-50 on Nov. 26 at Xavier, which is now ranked No. 22.

Missouri: Martin is off to his best start as a coach since opening 10-0 with Missouri State in 2010.

OFF TARGET

Missouri finished 16 for 63 from the field (25%), its worst shooting performance of the season. The 3-for-21 clip (14%) from 3-point territory was the Tigers' second-worst mark under Martin.

UP NEXT

Bradley: Begins Missouri Valley Conference play after the holiday break.

Missouri: Opens its SEC slate against No. 8 Tennessee at home on Dec. 30.

---

More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25

1st Half
BRAD
Braves
19
MIZZ
Tigers
21

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Ari Boya vs. Jeremiah Tilmon (Ja'Shon Henry gains possession)
19:39		Ja'Shon Henry misses three point jump shot
19:37		Braves offensive rebound
19:32		Sean East II misses two point pullup jump shot
19:30		Xavier Pinson defensive rebound
19:12		Ari Boya blocks Dru Smith's two point layup
19:10		Kobe Brown offensive rebound
19:10		Kobe Brown misses three point jump shot
19:08		Tigers offensive rebound
18:53		Xavier Pinson misses three point jump shot
18:51		Kobe Brown offensive rebound
18:33		Mark Smith misses two point jump shot
18:31		Elijah Childs defensive rebound
18:22		Ja'Shon Henry turnover (lost ball)
18:07		Kobe Brown misses three point jump shot
18:05		Ja'Shon Henry defensive rebound
17:59		Ari Boya offensive foul (Kobe Brown draws the foul)
17:59		Ari Boya turnover
17:46		Xavier Pinson misses two point layup
17:44		Ville Tahvanainen defensive rebound
17:12	+2	Ja'Shon Henry makes two point dunk (Rienk Mast assists)	2-0
16:55		Mitchell Smith misses three point jump shot
16:53		Ville Tahvanainen defensive rebound
16:38		Ville Tahvanainen misses three point jump shot
16:36		Ville Tahvanainen offensive rebound
16:28		Elijah Childs turnover (lost ball)
16:19		Javon Pickett misses two point jump shot
16:17		Tigers offensive rebound
15:58	+2	Dru Smith makes two point layup (Javon Pickett assists)	2-2
15:46		Ja'Shon Henry misses two point jump shot
15:44		Mitchell Smith defensive rebound
15:37		Dru Smith misses three point jump shot
15:35		Sean East II defensive rebound
15:18		Ville Tahvanainen misses two point jump shot
15:16		Rienk Mast offensive rebound
15:15		Elijah Childs misses two point jump shot
15:13		Xavier Pinson defensive rebound
15:09		Mitchell Smith offensive foul (Sean East II draws the foul)
15:09		Mitchell Smith turnover
15:09		TV timeout
14:52		Rienk Mast misses two point layup
14:50		Parker Braun defensive rebound
14:45		Parker Braun offensive foul
14:45		Parker Braun turnover
14:28	+2	Elijah Childs makes two point hook shot	4-2
13:58		Parker Braun misses two point dunk
13:56		Parker Braun offensive rebound
13:55	+2	Parker Braun makes two point dunk	4-4
13:42		Danya Kingsby misses two point layup
13:40		Danya Kingsby offensive rebound
13:39		Danya Kingsby misses two point layup
13:37		Rienk Mast offensive rebound
13:37		Mitchell Smith blocks Rienk Mast's two point layup
13:35		Mitchell Smith defensive rebound
13:31		Elijah Childs shooting foul (Mark Smith draws the foul)
13:31	+1	Mark Smith makes regular free throw 1 of 2	4-5
13:31	+1	Mark Smith makes regular free throw 2 of 2	4-6
13:19		Kevin McAdoo misses three point jump shot
13:17		Jeremiah Tilmon defensive rebound
13:08		Jeremiah Tilmon misses two point jump shot
13:06		Danya Kingsby defensive rebound
12:56		Dru Smith shooting foul (Ari Boya draws the foul)
12:56		Ari Boya misses regular free throw 1 of 2
12:30		Jeremiah Tilmon misses two point jump shot
12:56	+1	Ari Boya makes regular free throw 2 of 2	5-6
12:30		Jeremiah Tilmon misses two point jump shot
12:28		Kobe Brown offensive rebound
12:28	+2	Kobe Brown makes two point layup	5-8
12:28		Darius Hannah shooting foul (Kobe Brown draws the foul)
12:28		Kobe Brown misses regular free throw 1 of 1
12:28		Ari Boya defensive rebound
11:56		Danya Kingsby misses two point jump shot
11:54		Dru Smith defensive rebound
11:47		Ville Tahvanainen shooting foul (Jeremiah Tilmon draws the foul)
11:47		TV timeout
11:47		Jeremiah Tilmon misses regular free throw 1 of 2
11:27		Rienk Mast misses three point jump shot
11:47	+1	Jeremiah Tilmon makes regular free throw 2 of 2	5-9
11:28		Rienk Mast misses three point jump shot
11:26		Braves offensive rebound
11:26		Kobe Brown personal foul (Elijah Childs draws the foul)
11:25		Ville Tahvanainen turnover (bad pass) (Jeremiah Tilmon steals)
11:17		Xavier Pinson turnover (bad pass) (Rienk Mast steals)
11:10		Kevin McAdoo misses three point jump shot
11:08		Xavier Pinson defensive rebound
10:43		Jeremiah Tilmon misses two point jump shot
10:41		Elijah Childs defensive rebound
10:27		Sean East II misses three point jump shot
10:25		Rienk Mast offensive rebound
10:20		Ville Tahvanainen misses three point jump shot
10:18		Jeremiah Tilmon defensive rebound
10:06	+3	Xavier Pinson makes three point jump shot	5-12
9:46		Elijah Childs misses three point jump shot
9:44		Rienk Mast offensive rebound
9:35	+2	Sean East II makes two point jump shot	7-12
9:22		Sean East II personal foul (Xavier Pinson draws the foul)
9:20		Parker Braun misses three point jump shot
9:18		Ja'Shon Henry defensive rebound
9:06		Mark Smith personal foul (Ari Boya draws the foul)
8:53		Mitchell Smith blocks Ville Tahvanainen's two point layup
8:51		Mitchell Smith defensive rebound
8:47		Ja'Shon Henry blocks Javon Pickett's two point layup
8:45		Elijah Childs defensive rebound
8:42		Ari Boya offensive foul
8:42		Ari Boya turnover
8:29	+2	Mark Smith makes two point layup	7-14
8:29		Sean East II shooting foul (Mark Smith draws the foul)
8:29		Mark Smith misses regular free throw 1 of 1
8:29		Elijah Childs defensive rebound
8:05	+2	Elijah Childs makes two point jump shot	9-14
7:46		Mark Smith misses two point jump shot
7:44		Mitchell Smith offensive rebound
7:43	+2	Mitchell Smith makes two point layup	9-16
7:20		Danya Kingsby misses three point jump shot
7:18		Parker Braun defensive rebound
7:07		Parker Braun misses three point jump shot
7:05		Sean East II defensive rebound
6:55		Sean East II misses two point layup
6:53		Parker Braun defensive rebound
6:30		Javon Pickett misses two point jump shot
6:28		Javon Pickett offensive rebound
6:21		Mark Smith misses three point jump shot
6:19		Rienk Mast defensive rebound
5:57		Ja'Shon Henry misses two point jump shot
5:55		Mitchell Smith defensive rebound
5:55		Rienk Mast personal foul (Mitchell Smith draws the foul)
5:55		TV timeout
5:55		Mitchell Smith misses regular free throw 1 of 1
5:55		Ja'Shon Henry defensive rebound
5:40		Rienk Mast misses three point jump shot
5:38		Jayson Kent offensive rebound
5:36	+2	Jayson Kent makes two point layup	11-16
5:22		Dru Smith misses two point jump shot
5:20		Jeremiah Tilmon offensive rebound
5:08		Xavier Pinson turnover (bad pass) (Ville Tahvanainen steals)
4:50		Rienk Mast misses two point layup
4:48		Mitchell Smith defensive rebound
4:46		Jayson Kent shooting foul (Xavier Pinson draws the foul)
4:46	+1	Xavier Pinson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	11-17
4:46	+1	Xavier Pinson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	11-18
4:19		Ville Tahvanainen misses three point jump shot
4:17		Elijah Childs offensive rebound
4:16		Elijah Childs misses two point jump shot
4:14		Xavier Pinson defensive rebound
4:10		Xavier Pinson misses two point layup
4:08		Ville Tahvanainen defensive rebound
4:05		Xavier Pinson personal foul
3:41		Ja'Shon Henry offensive foul (Drew Buggs draws the foul)
3:41		Ja'Shon Henry turnover
3:41		TV timeout
3:25		Dru Smith misses two point layup
3:20		Darius Hannah defensive rebound
3:22		Dru Smith personal foul (Darius Hannah draws the foul)
3:22		Darius Hannah misses regular free throw 1 of 1
3:22		Jayson Kent offensive rebound
3:22		Jayson Kent misses two point layup
3:20		Elijah Childs offensive rebound
3:20	+2	Elijah Childs makes two point layup	13-18
2:54		Mitchell Smith misses three point jump shot
2:52		Braves defensive rebound
2:35		Elijah Childs misses two point hook shot
2:33		Elijah Childs offensive rebound
2:29		Elijah Childs turnover (lost ball) (Drew Buggs steals)
2:04		Elijah Childs blocks Kobe Brown's two point layup
2:02		Kobe Brown offensive rebound
2:01		Elijah Childs blocks Kobe Brown's two point layup
1:59		Jayson Kent defensive rebound
1:50	+2	Jayson Kent makes two point jump shot (Elijah Childs assists)	15-18
1:35		Mark Smith misses three point jump shot
1:33		Elijah Childs defensive rebound
1:26		Kevin McAdoo turnover (bad pass) (Mark Smith steals)
1:14		Xavier Pinson misses two point jump shot
1:12		Jayson Kent defensive rebound
1:10		Jayson Kent turnover (out of bounds)
0:57	+3	Xavier Pinson makes three point jump shot (Javon Pickett assists)	15-21
0:36		Elijah Childs misses three point jump shot
0:34		Darius Hannah offensive rebound
0:33	+2	Darius Hannah makes two point layup	17-21
0:08		Xavier Pinson turnover (out of bounds)
0:08		Braves 30 second timeout
0:01		Mitchell Smith shooting foul (Ja'Shon Henry draws the foul)
0:01	+1	Ja'Shon Henry makes regular free throw 1 of 2	18-21
0:01	+1	Ja'Shon Henry makes regular free throw 2 of 2	19-21
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
BRAD
Braves
34
MIZZ
Tigers
33

Time		Play	Score
19:48		Xavier Pinson turnover (bad pass) (Ville Tahvanainen steals)
19:30		Dru Smith personal foul (Ja'Shon Henry draws the foul)
19:18		Sean East II turnover (lost ball) (Mark Smith steals)
19:02		Ville Tahvanainen blocks Dru Smith's two point jump shot
19:00		Ari Boya defensive rebound
18:48	+2	Ari Boya makes two point layup (Ville Tahvanainen assists)	21-21
18:48		Jeremiah Tilmon shooting foul (Ari Boya draws the foul)
18:48		Ari Boya misses regular free throw 1 of 1
18:48		Kobe Brown defensive rebound
18:38		Javon Pickett misses two point layup
18:36		Tigers offensive rebound
18:36		Ville Tahvanainen personal foul
18:31		Jeremiah Tilmon misses two point jump shot
18:29		Sean East II defensive rebound
18:07		Ville Tahvanainen misses three point jump shot
18:05		Ja'Shon Henry offensive rebound
17:59	+2	Ville Tahvanainen makes two point layup	23-21
17:43		Kobe Brown misses two point layup
17:41		Braves defensive rebound
17:14	+2	Ja'Shon Henry makes two point dunk (Sean East II assists)	25-21
16:55		Ari Boya shooting foul (Xavier Pinson draws the foul)
16:55	+1	Xavier Pinson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	25-22
16:55	+1	Xavier Pinson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	25-23
16:36		Elijah Childs misses two point hook shot
16:34		Drew Buggs defensive rebound
16:27	+3	Xavier Pinson makes three point jump shot	25-26
16:13	+2	Elijah Childs makes two point hook shot (Rienk Mast assists)	27-26
15:59	+2	Drew Buggs makes two point layup	27-28
15:46		Ja'Shon Henry misses two point jump shot
15:44		Jeremiah Tilmon defensive rebound
15:37		Jeremiah Tilmon offensive foul (Ville Tahvanainen draws the foul)
15:37		Jeremiah Tilmon turnover
15:37		TV timeout
15:28		Rienk Mast turnover (traveling)
15:02		Darius Hannah blocks Drew Buggs's two point jump shot
15:00		Drew Buggs offensive rebound
14:59		Drew Buggs misses two point jump shot
14:57		Tigers offensive rebound
14:42		Mitchell Smith misses three point jump shot
14:40		Darius Hannah defensive rebound
14:34		Danya Kingsby misses three point jump shot
14:32		Parker Braun defensive rebound
14:24		Dru Smith misses two point layup
14:22		Elijah Childs defensive rebound
13:56		Mitchell Smith blocks Ville Tahvanainen's two point jump shot
13:52		Braves offensive rebound
13:54		Braves turnover (shot clock violation)
13:37		Elijah Childs personal foul (Xavier Pinson draws the foul)
13:33		Xavier Pinson misses three point jump shot
13:31		Jeremiah Tilmon offensive rebound
13:30		Jeremiah Tilmon misses two point tip shot
13:28		Ari Boya defensive rebound
13:18	+2	Jayson Kent makes two point jump shot	29-28
12:55	+2	Dru Smith makes two point jump shot	29-30
12:49	+2	Jayson Kent makes two point jump shot (Elijah Childs assists)	31-30
12:47		Jayson Kent shooting foul (Mark Smith draws the foul)
12:47	+1	Mark Smith makes regular free throw 1 of 2	31-31
12:47	+1	Mark Smith makes regular free throw 2 of 2	31-32
12:34		Dru Smith personal foul (Jayson Kent draws the foul)
12:23	+3	Jayson Kent makes three point jump shot (Kevin McAdoo assists)	34-32
11:45		Mark Smith turnover (lost ball)
11:45		TV timeout
11:28		Xavier Pinson personal foul (Ari Boya draws the foul)
11:18		Kevin McAdoo misses two point layup
11:16		Mitchell Smith defensive rebound
11:14		Xavier Pinson misses two point layup
11:12		Jeremiah Tilmon offensive rebound
11:11		Sean East II shooting foul (Jeremiah Tilmon draws the foul)
11:11	+1	Jeremiah Tilmon makes regular free throw 1 of 2	34-33
11:11		Jeremiah Tilmon misses regular free throw 2 of 2
11:11		Ari Boya defensive rebound
10:55	+2	Sean East II makes two point jump shot	36-33
10:31	+2	Jeremiah Tilmon makes two point layup (Javon Pickett assists)	36-35
10:15		Sean East II misses two point jump shot
10:13		Mitchell Smith defensive rebound
10:05		Drew Buggs misses three point jump shot
10:03		Kevin McAdoo defensive rebound
9:57	+2	Ari Boya makes two point layup (Sean East II assists)	38-35
9:41		Drew Buggs misses three point jump shot
9:39		Ari Boya defensive rebound
9:10		Jayson Kent misses three point jump shot
9:08		Jeremiah Tilmon defensive rebound
8:48		Javon Pickett misses two point jump shot
8:46		Jeremiah Tilmon offensive rebound
8:45	+2	Jeremiah Tilmon makes two point layup	38-37
8:38		Braves 30 second timeout
8:38		TV timeout
8:14	+2	Kevin McAdoo makes two point layup	40-37
7:59		Xavier Pinson misses two point jump shot
7:57		Danya Kingsby defensive rebound
7:49	+2	Danya Kingsby makes two point jump shot	42-37
7:35		Javon Pickett misses three point jump shot
7:33		Danya Kingsby defensive rebound
7:31		Xavier Pinson personal foul (Danya Kingsby draws the foul)
7:31		TV timeout
7:19		Danya Kingsby turnover (double dribble)
7:06		Xavier Pinson misses three point jump shot
7:04		Kobe Brown offensive rebound
7:03	+2	Kobe Brown makes two point layup	42-39
6:34	+2	Ja'Shon Henry makes two point layup (Ville Tahvanainen assists)	44-39
6:19		Kevin McAdoo shooting foul (Dru Smith draws the foul)
6:19	+1	Dru Smith makes regular free throw 1 of 2	44-40
6:19	+1	Dru Smith makes regular free throw 2 of 2	44-41
5:50		Jayson Kent misses three point jump shot
5:48		Braves offensive rebound
5:48		Braves turnover (shot clock violation)
5:23		Ari Boya shooting foul (Jeremiah Tilmon draws the foul)
5:23		Jeremiah Tilmon misses regular free throw 1 of 2
5:23	+1	Jeremiah Tilmon makes regular free throw 2 of 2	44-42
5:04	+2	Elijah Childs makes two point jump shot	46-42
5:04		Jeremiah Tilmon shooting foul (Elijah Childs draws the foul)
5:04	+1	Elijah Childs makes regular free throw 1 of 1	47-42
4:50		Xavier Pinson misses three point jump shot
4:48		Elijah Childs defensive rebound
4:22		Elijah Childs misses two point jump shot
4:20		Jeremiah Tilmon defensive rebound
4:02		Dru Smith misses two point layup
4:00		Kevin McAdoo defensive rebound
3:44	+3	Ville Tahvanainen makes three point jump shot (Jayson Kent assists)	50-42
3:37		Tigers 30 second timeout
3:37		TV timeout
3:26	+2	Mitchell Smith makes two point jump shot (Mark Smith assists)	50-44
3:12		Ville Tahvanainen offensive foul (Dru Smith draws the foul)
3:12		Ville Tahvanainen turnover
2:59		Elijah Childs shooting foul (Jeremiah Tilmon draws the foul)
2:59	+1	Jeremiah Tilmon makes regular free throw 1 of 2	50-45
2:59	+1	Jeremiah Tilmon makes regular free throw 2 of 2	50-46
2:31		Xavier Pinson personal foul (Kevin McAdoo draws the foul)
2:31	+1	Kevin McAdoo makes regular free throw 1 of 2	51-46
2:31		Kevin McAdoo misses regular free throw 2 of 2
2:31		Mitchell Smith defensive rebound
2:16	+2	Xavier Pinson makes two point jump shot	51-48
1:53	+2	Elijah Childs makes two point layup	53-48
1:33		Ja'Shon Henry shooting foul (Mark Smith draws the foul)
1:33		Mark Smith misses regular free throw 1 of 2
1:33	+1	Mark Smith makes regular free throw 2 of 2	53-49
1:11		Elijah Childs misses two point jump shot
1:09		Dru Smith defensive rebound
0:53		Jayson Kent personal foul (Mark Smith draws the foul)
0:53	+1	Mark Smith makes regular free throw 1 of 2	53-50
0:53	+1	Mark Smith makes regular free throw 2 of 2	53-51
0:48		Braves 30 second timeout
0:23		Sean East II misses two point jump shot
0:21		Jeremiah Tilmon defensive rebound
0:12		Mark Smith misses three point jump shot
0:09		Jayson Kent defensive rebound
0:10		Javon Pickett personal foul (Jayson Kent draws the foul)
0:10		Tigers 30 second timeout
0:10		Jayson Kent misses regular free throw 1 of 1
0:10		Dru Smith defensive rebound
0:01	+2	Jeremiah Tilmon makes two point layup (Xavier Pinson assists)	53-53
0:01		Elijah Childs shooting foul (Jeremiah Tilmon draws the foul)
0:01	+1	Jeremiah Tilmon makes regular free throw 1 of 1	53-54
0:01		Braves 60 second timeout
0:01		Tigers 60 second timeout
0:00		End of period

Tigers 60 second timeout